In a recent interview with Genius, the 26-year-old explained that “The Way I Am” — which has racked up more than 18 million Spotify streams since its release — is about him coming to terms with his own celebrity.

“I was known for who I was dating more than my music,” said Puth. “People were forgetting that I was actually a singer. And that was not good and multiple people told me that wasn’t good.”